


Today's Special: Torture

by TheDumbestAvenger



Series: Whumptober 2020 [31]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Hurt Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Peter Parker, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27291901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDumbestAvenger/pseuds/TheDumbestAvenger
Summary: Tony wakes up in the middle of a desert that looks eerily similar to the one he escaped in Afghanistan. Can Rhodey find him once again?
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Whumptober 2020 [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946023
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Today's Special: Torture

**Author's Note:**

> Day 31!
> 
> It's it! We're done! Whumptober is officially complete, y'all. Thanks for each and every kudos and comment, you're all awesome
> 
> *Warnings*  
> Mention of PTSD

Whatever this was had to be some kind of joke. A sick, twisted joke designed to turn Tony insane. And it was working. 

He’d woken up in the dead of night, a fine sprinkling of sand covering his face and bare arms. At first, Tony thought it was a PTSD induced nightmare from his stint in that Afghanistan cave, but this was real, oh so real. It looked the same as that desert, huge sand dunes, zero shade, and absolutely no one in sight. Surely it wasn’t the same desert, though? Or was it?

After waking, he’d sat up and brushed away the sand before setting off in a random direction. East, it turned out when the sun rose and basked Tony in its blazing heat. He ripped the bottom of his shirt to create a makeshift mask and kept on walking, because there had to be  _ something _ somewhere in his place.

The sun was setting again, now, its heat turned to Tony’s back. He could feel his skin blistering and every movement caused him pain, but he couldn’t stop. Having had nothing to eat, Tony’s stomach growled constantly and his muscles felt weak, as if they would collapse at any minute. That’s not to mention the lack of water. 

Three days, everyone knew that was how long a person could go without water. But the boiling heat of the desert, mixed with the non-stop walking, caused a lot of sweating. At his current pace, and if he didn’t find water soon, Tony estimated he had another half day at the most. He’d be lucky to see the sunrise.

His thoughts drifted to those he loved back home. A small part hoped they were looking for him, but then again it seemed like they’d only find a body, maybe not knowing was better. That way they could make up stories about how he was still alive somewhere. He thought about Pepper, she was strong, stronger than Tony ever could be, and she’d raise Morgan excellently on her own. Morgan, Tony hoped she’d remember him, if only in the vaguest of memories, and if not, she’d remember him through countless stories.

Peter, he’d only recently got the kid back. So much missed time already, Tony wished they could have more. Happy and Rhodey, Tony’s closest friends for thirty-ish years. His silent goodbye to them felt the hardest - not that the others weren’t gut wrenching - but to sum up that many memories in such a sudden way. Well, it simply wasn’t possible.

Tony was still walking, or at least making forward progress. Walking was too strong of a word. Stumbling, floundering. They were more realistic. The steadily setting sun casting a single, long shadow before him as darkness closed. He’d say his silent goodbyes, but he wouldn’t give up, not on his family.

He’d keep going until he was found, or until his legs gave out beneath him.

* * *

Whatever this was had to be some kind of joke. A sick, twisted joke designed to wreak havoc on Peter’s mind.

He’d heard about Tony’s experience in Afghanistan, both from the news and, briefly, from Tony himself. And now, if Friday’s last known location was anything to go by, history was repeating itself. The one difference now, Peter wasn’t leaving Rhodey’s side until they found him.

The swoosh of the helicopter blades so close to Peter sent his spidey-sense haywire, the constant ‘danger’ swirling over his head. He tried to tell himself the blades were not, in fact, a threat, but his spidey-sense always played up when he was anxious. And Peter was so far beyond anxious.

Rhodey was up in the cockpit piloting the helicopter, the setting sun glaring in his face. Friday’s last know location dropped them in the middle of a desert, the same desert Rhodey had scoured for his friend once before. He and Peter spent the night travelling, leaving the second they found out Tony was missing, and used the best part of the day flying over the desert in a spiral pattern starting at Friday’s location. That way, whichever way Tony had started walking, they’d find him. Presuming Tony had indeed been ditched here and not taken elsewhere in the world.

“You see anything, kid?” Rhodey asked, moving the microphone on his headset closer to his mouth.

Peter leaned so far out of the helicopter that any normal person would have fallen down and scanned the ground, straining his eyes to see something,  _ anything _ , other than great dunes of sand. “Not yet,” he sighed back.

“Me either,” Rhodey sounded defeated.

It wasn’t lost of Peter that Rhodey had been through almost this exact experience once before. The knowledge that last time Tony had been missing for months must weigh heavy on his mind, as must knowing all that the Ten Rings put him through. There was no evidence the Ten Rings were behind this kidnapping, they hadn’t been heard from in years, not since before the Snap, but never was not an option when Tony Stark was involved.

Peter’s eyes were starting to glaze over, the monotonous sand and constant straining giving him a headache he was struggling to shake. “Hey, Uncle Rhodey?” Peter rubbed his eyes, blinking hard before returning to his watch over the ground.

“Hm?”

“We are gonna find him, right?”

“Of course we are, kid. I’m not stopping until we do.” The previous defeat from Rhodey’s voice was gone, replaced with determination.

Peter nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Good. Me too.”

They kept searching, evening dragging into the night. Through the dark, Peter’s mind played tricks on him, showing him a small spec against the sand that disappeared when he blinked. If he was hot up in the helicopter, he couldn’t imagine how Tony must feel down there, exposed to the unrelenting heat with no shade in sight.

“Wait, Pete, do you see that?”

Peter looked down to where Rhodey was pointing, yet another spec slowly drifting through the sand. He blinked, rubbed a sleepy hand over his face, and peeled his eyes open once again. The spec was still there. “No…” he breathed.

Rhodey brought the helicopter lower, flying over Tony’s head as he fell to his knees, a peace sign raised to the air. They landed a few meters away on a flat piece of land, Peter jumped out before they’d hit the floor and ran towards Tony.

“Mister Stark!” He yelled, sprinting forwards and skidding to his knees as Tony collapsed. He caught his head on his shoulder and wrapped him in a hug, pulling away as Tony moaned in pain. “Sorry, sorry!” He rushed to get the words out and, gently, moved Tony into an upright position.

Despite everything, Tony had a grin on his face. “Hey, kid.”

Peter could’ve cried right there. Rhodey joined his side, also with a smile on his face. “What did I say about riding with me next time?”

Tony chuckled dryly and leant his forehead against Rhodey’s. “From now on, I’m always taking your advice.”

It was Rhodey’s turn to laugh. “You best remember that next time I drag you from the lab. Pete, help me get him up.” Peter jumped to his feet and moved to Tony’s side, taking his arm and lacing it around his shoulders as Rhodey did the same. Together, they helped Tony to his feet and guided him into the helicopter. Rhodey jumped in the cockpit while Peter remained in the back, slowly helping Tony sip some water.

After getting some fluids, Peter snuggled up against Tony, head resting on his shoulder while Tony brushed a hand through his hair. “‘S’all right, kid,” he muttered. “I’m safe now, I’m with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, now it's officially complete. And huge thanks for reading :D
> 
> So, tomorrow is the prologue for Comfortember - which is a slightly edited version of my fic 'You Didn't See That Coming' with the ending removed to give way to a whole lotta loving. I'll post a new chapter each Monday, very excited to share with y'all!!
> 
> Thanks again for reading :D


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